Novel Polymer Gel Lubricant Functionalized with a Phosphate Anion for Friction Reduction and Film Thickness Enhancement in Multiple Lubrication Conditions

Abstract

In this study, a supramolecular polymer gelator functionalized with a phosphate anion, PMUS-P, has been successfully synthesized through radical polymerization, and its physicochemical, rheological properties and tribological performance were carefully evaluated as a gel lubricant formed through non-covalent self-assembly in 500SN base oil. The results showed that the gel has a dense network structure, providing excellent stability and mechanical strength. Additionally, the PMUS-P gel exhibits good shear-thinning behavior and excellent creep recovery, effectively avoiding the volatility of lubricants. Under a steel–steel contact, the PMUS-P gel showed excellent tribological performance in long-term wear tests and a high-load, high-frequency, or high-temperature condition. For instance, in long wear tests, the 15 wt % PMUS-P gel showed a 44.90% reduction in average coefficient of friction (COF) compared to 500SN base oil, along with an 88.05% decrease in wear. The lubrication mechanism study revealed that the chemical reactive film formed by friction played a key role in reducing friction and wear, preventing the friction pairs from direct contact. In terms of film-forming properties, the PMUS-P gel demonstrates superior lubrication performance in comparison to 500SN base oil, achieving higher film thickness. Given these advantages, the PMUS-P gel has significant potential for prolonging machinery service life and reducing operational energy consumption, promising to become a new high-performance lubricant.